Try these crispy air fryer Brussels sprouts with balsamic for a fast and easy side dish that's fancy enough for a holiday meal.
Who else loves Brussels sprouts? They are one of my favorite vegetables as long as they are crispy and caramelized (nobody likes a soggy sprout). I love roasted Brussels, but air frying them is so easy and the air fryer makes them crispy and browned in just 15 minutes.
Here's what you'll need
Start with fresh Brussels sprouts. Depending on where you shop, you may find them still on the stalk, separated into sprouts, or already washed, trimmed and ready to cook. Either way, they should be firm and bright green. Look for smaller sprouts for cooking in the air fryer.
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While you're prepping the sprouts, be sure to pre-heat your air fryer. For my air fryer, that's just a matter of setting the temperature and letting it run for 5 minutes before adding the food.
To prep the Brussels sprouts make sure they are washed and trimmed (any brown ends cut off the stem), then cut them in half. This way they have more surface area to caramelize and take less time to cook through.
All you need to add to the sprouts are fresh olive oil, sea salt, and cracked pepper. Toss the sprouts with the oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl then spread them in the preheated air fryer basket. Be sure they are in a single layer so the edges get crispy. You want the hot air to circulate all the way around them so they roast, not steam.
Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook them in batches if you have too many for a single layer. You can also add a double layer rack for your air fryer basket to cook more at the same time.
Cook the sprouts for about 15 minutes, or until the edges are crisp and they are cooked through. Be sure to shake the air fryer basket every 5 minutes so the Brussels sprouts cook evenly.
Once they're cooked, toss with the simple balsamic vinaigrette to amp up the flavor. To take them over the top, try a few of these extras:
- For a holiday meal, toss them with toasted walnuts and dried cranberries along with the balsamic dressing.
- Add crumbled cooked bacon and honey mustard with the vinaigrette.
- Try them with caramelized onions and raisins in the dressing.
- Or for an appetizer, serve them with ranch dressing for dipping.
No matter how you serve them, these may be the easiest Brussel sprouts you've ever made!
More air fryer recipes to try
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings (Paleo, Keto, Whole30)
- Easy Air Fryer Asparagus
- Roasted Asparagus Avocado Soup (Paleo, Keto, Whole30)
- 21 Paleo Air Fryer Recipes
- 21 Delicious Keto Air Fryer Recipes
Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup optional
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees for 5 minutes.
- Trim and halve brussels sprouts. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
- Spread in a single layer in the air fryer basket, using rack if needed, and cook for 15 minutes or until cooked through and the edges are brown. Remove the basket and toss Brussels every 5 minutes during cooking.
- Whisk together 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, and maple syrup (if using). Toss cooked sprouts with dressing.
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